Search

DragonCon was over like a month+ ago? I KNOW THAT. I was busy…I don’t know, doing something, probably. Working. Watching the BBC on DVD. Getting ready for the opening of the Carolina Renaissance Festival. I AM A BUSY PERSON, DON’T JUDGE ME.

Where do I even start with this wrap up? I guess with a quick review: our costumes went SUPER well.

Glad you dig it, Mr. Seal

We did almost all of our costuming on Sunday, which made for an exhausting but exhilarating day, and also meant I had an excuse to shower twice.

I got home from DragonCon on Labor Day, shoveled some food and water into my gaping maw, fell asleep on the couch, woke up, took a shower, and fell asleep in my bed. Then I spent Tuesday stumbling around in a fog. Then I went back to work, and spent the rest of the time between now and then catching up from five days out of the office. I only dozed off in my car once, and it was before I had actually turned it on. Success!

DragonCon, and specifically the costuming created for it, was a huge success. Posts in the works include one with the pictures I took of other people, and one (at least) with pictures of our costumes. And also, a post about what I have to do before CRF starts in…four? weeks. And then a post about how next year I’m starting DragonCon stuff in January, because I am too delicate to handle another summer of this much stress.

Dragon*Con work has kicked into gear here in the biscasa*. stone biscuit, mr. biscuit, the bismates**–even the biskitties** are getting in on the action, though not in quite the way we hoped (i.e. they have not learned to stitch, glue, or pin, but instead continue to uselessly insinuate themselves into the laps of sewing persons).

There are two major projects going on in these pictures: Rococopunk and the Post-Apocalyptic Avengers. Also, a great deal of drinking. We’re hitting all of these piece-meal, except the drinking, to which we’re all strongly committed. Behold, a small sample of our recent successes!

Obviously, not all of these were made by me. I can lay no claim to the Scarlet Witch headpiece (done in a satellite office), the medals, nor the enormously well drawn pattern piece. My pattern pieces tend to look like they were done by a four year old.

We look forward to more progress, as well as more drinking. Always more drinking.

*a combination of “biscuit” and “casa”
**”biscuit” and “housemates”
***”biscuit” and “kitties”

Like this:

Dallas has a couple of great fabric warehouses, and every year I look forward to blowing huge amounts of money visiting them. Today, on the whimiest of whims, I abandoned my traditional post-faire sleepathon and went a-fabric shopping. I got almost everything I need for the Grape Fairies, with the exception of the fabric for the waist cinchers I’ve only just decided I’m building in place of corsets.

Ta-da!

I am shit at taking pictures.

I decided pretty early on that the fabric and trim would need to be identical except for the color. That turned out to be easy for the matte base layer (a very simple cotton, not pictured b/c yawn) and the sheer outer layer (which was unmarked at the store but is definitely poly and might be organza or possibly chiffon, I don’t really know and neither do I care because it was cheap as hell), but not so easy for the trim. After an hour in the trim room, I came away with 3/4″ grossgrain ribbon and simple braided trim to go with/over it, both in pale pink and hunter green. Not really what I wanted, but once I get over my disappointment I will be happy with it. I wanted a really rich reddish purple, but all they had was basically neon, so I swallowed my tears and went with green for the red wine, reasoning that grapes have green leaves. Totally makes sense. I’m planning to use the ribbon for most of the trim, as it was thirty cents a yard and I bought a thousand billion yards of it. Some decorative stitching in contrasting colors will do a lot to liven it up. Also, pearls. Because handsewing can be done on the couch and is therefore The Best.

I left the pattern I’m planning to use at home, so now I have to figure out whether it’s cheaper to have it mailed to me or just get a new one. Waiting until I visit home in two weeks isn’t really an option, I don’t think; I need to have these basically done by the time I go home for good (about 6 weeks from now). Plus, I need time to stitch on those pearls, and make the headdresses, and paint the wings. So. To the postoffice, mr. biscuit!

Some time ago I decided I had to sit down and finalize my Dragon*Con plans early this year, and then not add anything. I think I’ve done that, though I reserve the right to attempt a Keymaster/Gatekeeper ensemble.

RESCU
A non-profit organization established to promote and maintain the health and medical well-being of the participants of Renaissance Faires, historical performances and other artistic events through financial assistance, advocacy, education and preventative